Apple reportedly plans ambitious satellite-powered iPhone features

In Brief

While Apple’s iPhone already supports texting, calling emergency services, and contacting roadside assistance via outer connectivity, the institution has galore much satellite-powered features successful the works, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.

In-development features reportedly see an API allowing app makers to enactment outer connections successful their ain apps, a mentation of Apple Maps that allows users to navigate without a compartment oregon WiFi connection, adding photos to messaging, and accrued enactment for “natural usage,” allowing users to link to a outer adjacent if their telephone isn’t pointed straight astatine the sky.

All of these features would perchance summation the usability of iPhones erstwhile their owners are extracurricular the scope of accepted compartment networks. Another imaginable upgrade, first reported by The Information, could amended 5G networks by allowing them to link to satellites for accrued coverage.

The basal features would beryllium free, Gurman says, with customers paying carriers for much precocious support. In addition, Apple’s outer spouse Globalstar reportedly needs to amended its infrastructure to enactment these upgrades, which Apple is helping to finance.

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